Former Akron hospital exec accused of public indecency
Police were staking out a park when incident occurred.
A former top RAVENNA — executive at Summa Health was accused last week of exposing and fondling himself at West Branch State Park and then running away from Portage County sheriff ’s deputies.
Brian K. Derrick, 58, of New Wilmington, Pa., was arrested by deputies Friday on charges of resisting arrest, a second-degree misdemeanor, and public indecency, a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
He was arraigned Monday in Portage County Municipal Court, where he pleaded not guilty, and posted $1,100 bond, according to court records. A condition of his bond is to have no contact with West Branch State Park. No attorney was listed in court records.
Derrick resigned as chief financial officer of Summa Health in January, having worked there since November 2011.
From February 2017 to March 2017, he served as interim chief executive officer of the health care system, which includes Summa Akron City, St. Thomas and Barberton hospitals, as well as SummaCare insurance and other outpatient locations.
According to the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, undercover deputies were staking out Picnic Area B of West Branch State Park in the 5500 block of Marina Drive in Charlestown Township when the incident occurred.
Deputies have been there for several weeks following numerous complaints that men are using the park bathrooms to solicit sex from other men.
Sheriff ’s Maj. Larry Limbert said continued complaints about sexual activity and solicitation led deputies to go out to the park on Friday.
“We just kept getting complaints,” he said Tuesday. “People saying ‘Why didn’t you get the rest of these guys?’ So we went out and tried one more time. Unfortunately, they only got one.”
According to authorities, Derrick was observed fondling his genitals “for several minutes” in the picnic area.
He is accused of running away from deputies who approached him and told him he was under arrest, according to the Portage sheriff ’s office.
Derrick joined Summa as senior vice president and chief financial officer in November 2011.
He previously served as CFO for Albert Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia and held various financial leadership roles at Jefferson Health System in Philadelphia and UPMC Health System in Pittsburgh.
He presently is a member of the Thiel College board of trustees, according to the Greenville, Pa., college’s website.